Mature eggplants produce the best seeds for saving, and planting in the spring. The eggplants will be soft, at this point. Once your seeds are dry, you can keep them in storage for up to three years.
For long-term storage over three years, place your eggplant seeds in the refrigerator. In the spring, get your seeds out of storage, and get ready for your new eggplant crop. Plant your seeds from 10 to 12 weeks before the last frost. Thanks, Alice. This was especially interesting to read about. Is seedless really better though, from a health perspective? Hello Mr. Thanks for taking the time to comment. I say for certain, maybe they were hybrid seed….?
You could be right in your assumption that those were or are grown from hybrid seed. I learn something new every day, however. Thanks for your comment. Loved this, my friend told a group of us about this over dinner last night. I assumed it was legitimate since I learned it from a food professional in the fresh market.
Blot as much oil out as possible. Just the way I make it except I still us the seasoned Italian Progresso breadcrumbs. Keep adding oil as needed. Put some tomatoe paste sauce in oblong pan… layer of eggplant, some sauce, Pecorino Romano grated cheese. Keep layering until eggplant is done… put some sauce on top…and sprinkle grated cheese.
Wonderful hot or cold…. The old recipes still work………and your recipe is the oldest one in our family. Love learning about male female…….. Works every time. Thank you for the wonderful information. I try to always buy the light weight eggplants as they have less seeds. I suppose it is the male eggplant. Very interesting. I just picked my first eggplant to make eggplant parmesan. I was just looking on the food network for a great recipe and while reading some of the reviews I came across male or female eggplant, WHAT!
Thus that began my search; is this true male and female eggplant. Thanks to your blog I have learn something new and guess which one I pick…. A MALE. Thank God my first eggplant parmesan will not be bitter. Thanks for the info. Our recipe is quite close to yours. Oh, yeah, we also do not use the salt method at all —baking it leaves it just right as far as moisture and lack of bitterness. Once baked, we let them cool on a rack, then we wrap them in waxed paper in groups of 3 large or 4 smallish ones side-by-side, then place four of those packs 14 rounds inside a bag and vacuum seal it.
They freeze very well, and keep for a long time. Different varieties of eggplant may be more bitter and contain more noticeable seeds than others. Also, as an eggplant fruit matures, the seeds become more noticeable. Pick eggplant fruits when full size is reached but while the exterior is still a glossy purple. Once the exterior becomes dull purple, the eggplant fruit is over-mature. Eggplants have a dimple at the blossom end. The dimple can be very round or oval in shape.
The round ones seem to have more seeds and tend to be less meaty, so select the oval dimpled eggplant. Smaller, immature eggplants are best. Full-size puffy ones may have hard seeds and can be bitter. Choose a firm, smooth-skinned eggplant that is heavy for its size; avoid those with soft or brown spots.
Gently push with your thumb or forefinger. If the flesh gives slightly but then bounces back, it is ripe. If the indentation remains, it is overripe and the insides will be mushy. If there is no give, the eggplant was picked too early. I am a Product manager of Brinjal at one of the largest seeds company in India. Professionally qualified — as Msc in Agriculture. However, it is folk wisdom worth some attention.
Purchasing Eggplant: Smaller, immature eggplants are best. Appreciate your comments. I wrote this post based on information I got at a fresh vegetable market in Seattle, Washington. While it may not be scientific, it has guided me well in getting more consistent results when buying eggplants.
I grew up on a farm, although we did not grow eggplants in the south those days, and I do appreciate that ALL vegetables are far better when harvested at younger stages, resisting the bitterness that comes in many of those overgrown veggies that is mostly what the consumer in a state in the dessert southwest where I live has to choose from.
Thank you for your interest, and taking the time to comment. And thanks for the purchase tips. Pingback: tidbits « My Wintersong.
I was always confused on which eggplant to purchase. After ready this my worries are gone finally. I would eat it if I could. I have 60 yrs experience was little girl when Italian neighbor taught me this and so far so very true…when could only get females ones they were loaded with seeds..
The plant of the ornamental white eggplant S. I have this question asked to me all the time. Every time I research this question, I always come up with varied answers. I, personally, do not know the correct answer. Check out what some of the experts say, and you be the judge! Different varieties of eggplant may be more bitter and contain more noticeable seeds than others. Also, as an eggplant fruit matures, the seeds become more noticeable.
Pick eggplant fruits when full size is reached but while the exterior is still a glossy purple. Once the exterior becomes dull purple, the eggplant fruit is over-mature. There is long-standing controversy about male and female eggplants, which is an inaccurate approach considering the fact that fruits are the product of sex and do not have it.
However, it is folk wisdom worth some attention. Eggplants have a dimple at the blossom end. The dimple can be very round or oval in shape. The round ones seem to have more seeds and tend to be less meaty, so select the oval dimpled eggplant. Male eggplants tend to have fewer seeds, and are therefore less bitter than female eggplants. To sex an eggplant, look at the indentation at bottom. Grab pieces of pulp and rub them firmly between your fingertips under the surface of the water to separate the seeds from the pulp.
Keep doing this until you clean all the seeds off the pieces of pulp and the seeds are floating around in the water. You can try to dig them out if you want, or you can just do the best you can and rub the majority of the seeds off. Pour the water out through a mesh strainer and rinse the seeds with water. Blast high-pressure water from a sink or hose through the strainer until all the soft pulp gets pushed through and there are only seeds left.
Dry the seeds for days in a well-ventilated area. Dump the seeds out onto dry paper towels or newspaper and pat them dry.
Transfer the seeds to a clean, dry plate and spread them out evenly. Leave them to dry for days. If the seeds stay too wet, they might germinate. Make sure you soak up all the excess moisture with paper towels or newspaper before you transfer them to a plate.
Any dry, well-ventilated place is fine to leave your seeds to dry. Store your dried seeds in a clean, dry container for up to 5 years. Transfer the seeds to something like a jar, envelope, or sealable baggy and seal the container. Keep them somewhere cool and dry and they will be good for up to 5 years. It might be a good idea to label the container with the date you stored the seeds, so you know how long they are good for.
Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. By using this service, some information may be shared with YouTube. The older an eggplant is, the more seeds it will have. Younger eggplants have fewer seeds and are less bitter. Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0. Submit a Tip All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published. Keep your fingers and hand out of the way of the blade.
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